Sunspots - Friday November 22nd 2019

Solar flux is 70 and the sunspot number still 0. A=4 and K=0.

Day off

As we were out most of the day, I have been off the air all of the day. There was a slight thunder risk, so everything was disconnected.

"Warhorse" - NOT amateur radio

This afternoon we went, with the village theatre group, to see "Warhorse" at the theatre in Wembley.

Some years ago I saw this at the cinema.  All the time at the film I was moaning about the appalling Devon accents and the appalling Devon village. This time I just pretended the village was in Wiltshire.

The stage production was nothing short of spectacular. I enjoyed the stage play far more than the film.

UK rallies this weekend

Sunday 24 NOVEMBER : BISHOP AUCKLAND RADIO AMATEURS CLUB 2019 RALLY

Oasis Academy Coulsdon, Homefield Road, Old Coulsdon CR5 1ES. Doors open from 10am until 2pm. £1.50 entry that includes a free tea/coffee. There will be second hand equipment, flea market tables, traders and an RSGB bookstall. The CATS Bring & Buy will operate on 10% commission. Refreshments are available on site. Contact Andy G0KZT on 07729 866 600 or www.catsradio.org.

Sunday 24 NOVEMBER : CATS 42nd RADIO & ELECTRONICS BAZAAR

Oasis Academy Coulsdon, Homefield Road, Old Coulsdon CR5 1ES. Doors open from 10am until 2pm. £1.50 entry that includes a free tea/coffee. There will be second hand equipment, flea market tables, traders and an RSGB bookstall. The CATS Bring & Buy will operate on 10% commission. Refreshments are available on site. Contact Andy G0KZT on 07729 866 600 or bazaar@catsradio.org" or www.catsradio.org

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

OFCOM update

OFCOM has announced a change of Chief Technology Officer. See their website.

Groups.io

As Yahoo is effectively closing its groups, like many I have migrated all of my groups to Groups.io. At present I host groups on VHF AM, sub9kHz and miracle antennas.

Sunspots - Thursday November 21st 2019

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=2 and K=2.

481THz RX

Whilst looking through some old Google photos, I came across this one of my 481THz (optical) receiver. It was used in my "over the horizon" tests. It was also used in a line-of sight optical speech QSO over 11km with G4HJW.

I still have it and should try using it again.

10m FT8

Although I have been on 10m FT8 since before breakfast calling CQ initially (2.5W), no spots given or received so far.

UPDATE 1033z: Still no spots.

UPDATE 1447z: Just 2 stations spotted all day so far on 10m FT8 RX with best DX spotted being RA2FL (1343km).

UPDATE 1846z:   Now 8 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX. Best DX is  LZ1VDR (2015km).

UPDATE 1850z:  Now QRT.

Autumn - NOT amateur radio

All our trees are now losing their leaves as they do each autumn. We'll blink and it will be spring again with new buds.